Holden... a typical teen?

Holden Caufield, in my opinion, in much more complex than your average everyday teenager. Holden is depressed and very reserved. His deep depression come from the death of his brother, Allie. Holden was very close with his brother, he uses only kind words to describe him. "He was also the nicest, in lots of ways. He never got mad at anybody. People with red hair are supposed to get mad very easily, but Allie never did..." (Salinger, 38) Holden was not able to attend Allie's funeral, I do believe that this is part of the reason as to why Allie's death still causes Holden so much grief. The funeral is a crucial part of the grieving/ healing process, and Holden never got to experience it.

Holden, whether he is willing to accept it or not, is very lonely. He needs someone to love and someone who will return that love. He has Phoebe, his little sister, she is his rock, but I feel as if he needs more people to love. His parents don't seem to be all that close to him, nor do they show that great of an interest. Throughout the story, Holden meets a few people that he seems to be comfortable around, and that is good for him. I truly believe that Holden needs people to open up to, and once he finds them he should be okay!

Big Nurse vs. Mr. McMurphy!!

There are two main dominant characters in Ken Kessey's novel, "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest". These characters are Mr. McMurphy and the Big Nurse. Big Nurse is in charge of the ward, she oversees everything that is done there. She even controls the volume of the music that is played over the loudspeaker. Big Nurse's commands are obeyed and her wishes are turned into reality. She has her workers at her heels and she acts as if she owns the place. This all changes once Mr. McMurphy enters the ward, though.

Mr. McMurphy is described as, "broad across the jaw and shoulders and chest, a broad white devilish grin" (Kessey, 16) From the moment McMurphy enters the ward, there is a shift of power. He challenges Big Nurse, something no one has ever even dreamed of doing. He sings, whistles, laughs, dances around. None of these actions are ever seen in the ward. He makes a lot of great changes to the ward.

I am not exactly sure if either of these characters "win". I feel as if they both win in a different way. Big Nurse wins in the sense that McMurphy got a lobotomy and was a vegetable, and then Chief smothers him. But McMurphy has gotten the other patients to stand up for themselves, he even got Chief to talk!! Therefore, in my opinion, both Big Nurse and McMurphy win.

The Arthurian Legend

Medieval Romances, as we all know, consist of chivalry, spontaneous fighting, love, and magic. They are set in a remote time or place and emphasize rank and social distinctions. The hero always has a pure advantage over the villain, and the story has loose structure, lacking in unity. Medieval Romances posses every element out there that will capture an audience's attention. The Arthurian Legend has endured the test of time because it does, in fact, consist of every element needed to capture an audience's attention. The Arthurian Legend is very much like the modern-day soap opera, this could easily be another major reason why it is still popular. There have been many different versions of the legend written.

'Le Morte D'Arthur' written by Sir T. Malory is just one of the many versions. Malory's story is taking place in a later time in King Arthur's life. "When King Arthur returned from Rome he settled his court at Camelot, and there gathered about him his knights of The Round Table, who diverted themselves with jousting and tournaments." (Malory, 118) Meanwhile T. H. White's version of the story entitled 'The Once Future King' is based on an earlier time in King Arthur's life, focusing on Lancelot. "You remember that Arthur wanted to catch his knights young, to train them for The Round Table, and that he had noticed Lancelot at the feast, because he was winning most of the games."

Not only have many stories been written about the Arthurian Legend, many movies have been made also. Parodies, even. 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' is a parody consisting of a plot line based on the time of King Arthur. "It's just a flesh wound" (Monty Python) is probably one of the most popular quotes from this movie. The quote comes from a scene where a knight gets his arm cut off and that is his response, this illustrates the humor in the movie. Even though 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' is a parody, it is still effective in telling the story of the

Legend of King Arthur.

Reaction To Medieval Works

To be honest, at first I did not think that i would enjoy these King Arthur-ish writings. I was correct about my assumption after the first story that we read. I did not enjoy the first 'Sword and the Stone' piece, I felt as if it was too long and dragged out. But my opinion soon changed after reading the second version of the 'Sword and the Stone' piece. I enjoyed how it was easier to read and the author almost seemed to have a sense of humor. 'Sir Gawain and the Lady Ragnell' is by far my favourite at the moment. I loved the twist that the Lady Ragnell ended up being beautiful, I had a feeling that she would. I was amazed at how loyal Sir Gawain is to Arthur. I have also been enjoying 'Sir Gawain and the Green Night' so far. I am always wanting to read past what we are assigned. So all in all I am enjoying the medieval works and am looking forward to reading more. :)